Front running dual Group 1 winner Gailo Chop looks the likely leader in Saturday’s Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) that is dominated by the presence of the super star galloper Winx.
Gailo Chop, above, is the likely leader in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir said that he wouldn’t be worried if the European import Gailo Chop rolled to the front and took up the running in the ‘Weight For Age Championship’ at The Valley.
“He will be in the first four for sure,” Weir told RSN’s Racing Pulse.
“He will just roll forward. He has drawn good, he goes good racing up on the speed, he is a very fit horse now and happy to roll forward and if nothing wanted to lead he will be happy to be strolling along up there as he seems to go well ridden like that.”
“He is in great shape.”
“Gailo Chop has such a great racing style and makes his own luck and doesn’t do anything wrong.”
Gailo Chop has claimed two Group 1 trophies since OTI Racing imported the chestnut gelding from France to Australia and both victories have been when he was able to dictate from the front.
Gailo Chop was able to score an all the way win in the Group 1 $1m Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival and Mark Zahra adopted the same tactics last start to take out the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 14.
Zahra will again be aboard Gailo Chop who has drawn barrier four in the nine horse Ladbrokes Cox Plate field while Winx will jump from gate six with regular rider Hugh Bowman in the saddle again.
Winx completely dominates the betting for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at $1.16 with Ladbrokes.com.au while Gailo Chop and stablemate Humidor are both marked at $20.
The Weir trained Humidor will have the blinkers back on this week and is coming off a last start fifth to Boom Time in the last Saturday’s Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield.
Blake Shinn replaces the suspended Damian Lane on Humidor who will settle in the second half of the field from barrier eight.
